One of the best French varieties of the 1800’s, introduced to California by Gillet in 1876. This paper shelled variety has beautiful kernels, with excellent flavor. Paper shell means you can easily crack the shells with your fingers. Very popular in late the 1800s California plantings, once often confused with Non Pariel, which it resembles. The tree is large, vigorous and upright with spreading top. Beautiful pink/purple bloom, a landscape standout. Harvests in September at 1700'. Will produce larger crops when pollinated with Sultana or Provence, however he mother tree is producing very nice crops without a pollinator nearby. This variety was chosen by the Slow Food Ark of Taste in 2014 to be honored and saved for posterity.

The grandmother tree is growing on an 1800’s homestead in Birchville, Nevada County at 1,765 feet. Birchville was a small mining camp in the 1800’s whose gold ran out pretty quickly. In 1880, the population was 50. There aren’t many more people residing there today! The owners of this tree have been renovating it, applying biodynamic and organic care, and it is thriving with their attention. An oldie just waiting to thrive in the 21^st century.